Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, gestures during an interview at the North American College in Rome on Feb. 14, 2012.

Forty-three Roman Catholic institutions — none of them in Colorado — filed 12 lawsuits Monday in federal courts across the country over the Obama administration’s mandate that health insurance plans include coverage for various forms of contraception.

The combined effort by Catholic dioceses, schools, social services and other organizations was long expected even after the Obama administration had conceded that Catholic institutions would not have to pay for coverage or refer their employees for coverage. But church officials and leaders say that it nevertheless requires religious employers to provide contraceptive and sterilization services in violation of their beliefs and the First Amendment.

“We have tried negotiation with the Administration and legislation with the Congress — and we’ll keep at it — but there’s still no fix,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which is not party in the lawsuits. “It is also a compelling display of the unity of the Church in defense of religious liberty.”

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